'This means plenty, we're a small yard with ten horses' - La Bellota fends off racing powerhouses for Listed success

Ten-horse trainer John Ryan was delighted to get the better of the Wathnan Racing and Coolmore bloodstock empires when La Bellota took the William Hill Prospect Stakes.

The two-year-old made all under Oisin Murphy and held off Diego Ventura and Bounty to give the trainer his first Listed success of a difficult season.

"At the beginning of the year we had a problem in the yard," Ryan said. "We don't know what it was but a lot of horses were sick.

"We had to lay them off. We gave them everything we could but 'Doctor Green' and a bit of time is what cures most things. Patience is a virtue and not many owners have it nowadays, but I'm lucky I have a few who do."

The patient few include Gerry McGladery, whose La Bellota was scoring his first success at the seventh attempt, although the gelding had been second in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury and fourth in the Cornwallis at Newmarket.

Winning connections of La Bellota after his win at DoncasterCredit: GROSSICK RACING

"This means plenty, we're a small yard with ten horses," Ryan said. "He's been a busy horse, he keeps trying and you've got to keep going. He got caught in the middle at Newmarket last time and I knew there was a race of this calibre in him.

"Oisin gave him a lovely, confident ride. When the horse took him forward he said he had to let him roll; on that ground you can't check animals.

"You can see the size of him; he's going to be a better horse next year. For a small yard it's nice to have a good horse to carry you through."

Ryan also revealed that Manaccan, who has not raced since finishing third in the Palace House Stakes last season, is back in full training with a view to returning next year and said: "It's exciting times now."

Up for grabs

Godolphin's Cover Up is in the shop window and did his likely purchase price no harm by getting up close home in the 5f handicap under William Buick.

"That was a grand performance," said John Gosden, joint-trainer of the winner. "He's in the sales next week and it's going to be a lot of fun for someone to buy a horse like that.

"I think they went a bit quick in the ground, he enjoyed it and came to them."

Having a Laafi 

The 33-1 shot Laafi got the better of 66-1 chance Iron Lion and Stressfree (14-1) in a Placepot-busting 1m2f handicap in which the tricast paid £27,069.26.

But jockey Callum Rodriguez was not surprised by the winner's success and said: "He was proven in the conditions and the first-time blinkers did the trick.

"It was very straightforward. He jumped well and got a nice position. I was able to do things on my own terms up the straight and he showed a good attitude."

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